Hizbullah `did not use civilians as cover`

Source: The Independent, 08-09-2007
In its strongest condemnation of “Israel” since last summer`s war, Human Rights Watch said yesterday that most Lebanese civilian casualties were caused by "indiscriminate ‘Israeli’ air strikes".
The international human rights organisation said there was no basis to the “Israeli” claim that civilian casualties resulted from Hizbullah guerrillas using civilians for cover. “Israel” has said that it attacked civilian areas because Hizbullah set up rocket launchers in villages and towns. More than 1,000 Lebanese were killed in the 34-day conflict, which began after Hizbullah staged a cross-border raid, killing three “Israeli” soldiers and capturing two others.
“Israeli” aircraft targeted Lebanese infrastructure, including bridges and Beirut airport, and heavily damaged a district of Beirut known as a Hizbullah stronghold, as well as attacking Hizbullah centres in villages near the border. Hizbullah fired nearly 4,000 rockets at northern “Israel”, killing 119 soldiers. In the fighting, 40 “Israeli” civilians were killed.
Kenneth Roth, Human Rights Watch executive director, said there were only "rare" cases of Hizbullah operating in civilian villages.
"To the contrary, once the war started, most Hizbullah military officials and even many political officials left the villages," he said. "Most Hizbullah military activity was conducted from prepared positions outside Lebanese villages in the hills and valleys around."
The “Israeli” Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mark Regev, rejected the findings. "Hizbullah adopted a deliberate strategy of shielding itself behind the civilian population and turning the civilians in Lebanon into a human shield," he said.